Unmet Needs of Palliative Cancer Patients: A Grounded Theory Study.
Ilaria Basile, Letteria Consolo, Anita Bellani and 4 others
PMID 40250835WHAT IT FOUND
Palliative cancer patients described needing recognition of their whole person: dignity, control, practical help, family closure, and hope.
They feared suffering, loneliness, and becoming a burden.
Key findings
01Twenty-nine palliative cancer patients described a core need to be acknowledged, with others recognising and validating their deepest needs.
02Patients reported fear of losing dignity, autonomy, and control, and feeling like a burden to others.
03Patients wanted practical daily support, help resolving family matters, and emotional or existential support.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was single-centre, so its themes may not transfer to other palliative care settings. Participants were already in advanced or end-of-life cancer, so needs before clinical decline were not captured. Interviews were conducted across home, hospice, and outpatient settings, which broadened the view but made setting-specific needs harder to separate. Findings were not returned to patients for confirmation because their prognosis was very short.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest and received no financial support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the Need for Acknowledgment model as proof that a specific communication or palliative intervention improves outcomes. This qualitative study reports patient perspectives and themes, not measured effects.